The Morning After
by CaramelSweetness66
Summary: Hermione and Draco discover that they have been married during a wild night of drinks. Can they live happily after after?
1. Chapter 1

**The Morning After**

**Disclaimer:** The characters and some places mentioned in this story belong to J.K. Rowling. The plot and any new characters seen throughout are mine. 

**A/N: **I have only ever written one other fic and I didn't like all of the disclaimer business. I just figure that now is as good a time as any to say that I will not be writing anymore should I choose to continue this story. 

Once again, it's a Draco/Hermione fic. I decided to go with a different idea that just came to me one day while I decided how to finish (or _if_ I will finish) A Malfoy Marriage of Convenience. I am not sure if this is any good at all. I really only wrote it for fun (and because I had some time on my hands).

Anyways, I hate being so formal so I'm going to get right to the point . . .

* * * * * * * * * * 

"Mmmmm . . ." Hermione sighed, basking in the early morning sunlight. She didn't think she had ever felt so relaxed when she woke up before, just totally refreshed and mellow. Her eyes were still closed, but she had a smile on her face as she thought of all of the fantastic things that she could do on her vacation while she was visiting Florida.

Hermione threw her arms out gaily, ready to hop out of bed and take an early morning shower.

"OW!" the man beside her cried out. She had elbowed him in the eye.

Hermione's snapped open. "Ohmygoodness! I'm so sorry!"

"Don't worry about it," the man muttered, prodding gently at the flesh around his eye. "Hopefully I won't bruise . . . too horribly."

Glad to hear it, and actually still a little tired, Hermione settled back into bed and shut her eyes again. "You'd better get some ice for that Malfoy."

There was a brief pause.

"MALFOY!?" came her sudden realization.

"GRANGER!?" was his. 

Hermione threw back the sheets, quickly pulling them back up when she realized that she was naked as the day she was born. "What the hell are you doing in my bed Malfoy!?" she demanded of him.

Malfoy looked horror-struck. "That's what _I _should be asking_ you_!" he exclaimed. "Your Mudblood body is in _my _bed!"

Hermione looked around the room. Malfoy was right. The cozy hotel room that she _thought_ she had slept in was very much unlike this one. This room was spacious and luxurious. It was perfect for the Slytherin playboy. Hermione covered her face with her hands, afraid that she might cry.

"When did you get married Hermione?" Draco asked in a shaky voice, as though he was almost afraid of the answer.

"I'm not married," was the muffled reply from behind her palms.

"Really?" he choked out. "Because those rings that you're wearing say that you are."

"Rings . . . ?" Hermione looked at her left hand. Gracing her finger was a stunning engagement ring; 6 carat pink diamond set on white gold. A matching wedding band was also sparkling in the sunlight.

Hermione looked at Malfoy helplessly. "A gift?" she ventured weakly.

"From me apparently," Draco told her regretfully. "Mine matches your set."

Indeed it did. What were they going to do?

"Merlin Malfoy!" Hermione snapped in frustration. "How could I marry you!? Of all people!? I _despise_ you!"

"There are no professions of love coming from this side of the bed Granger. Let me just remind you of that!" Draco snapped back.

There was another tense moment of silence.

"Draco . . .  do you think we . . . .?" Hermione coughed to get her point across. 

A slow smile spread across her supposed husband's gorgeous face. "Did we what?" he asked her with a cherubic smile.

Hermione rolled her eyes, blushing. "You know . . ."

"I haven't the foggiest idea what you're on about Granger. Why don't you just make it easier for the both of us and spit it out," Draco smirked, he was definitely enjoying this.

Oh he _knew_ what she was talking about, of this Hermione was sure. "Did we . . . . you know . . . . have . . . . I mean . . . did we . . . consummate the marriage last night?" Her blush deepened. Never would she have imagined having this kind of conversation with Malfoy, let alone while she was naked in the same bed as he was.

Malfoy laughed. "Perhaps we did," he told her. "I'm sure that you enjoyed it immensely, something I can't even dream I felt in return."

"Malfoy, you really shouldn't flatter yourself. It's not very attractive," Hermione commented, her embarrassment gone. This conversation was beginning to bore her already. Malfoy was going full steam ahead towards a sermon about himself and his prowess in bed. She could feel it already. As far as this marriage was concerned, they would have it terminated as soon as possible. Pulling the sheets from Malfoy and wrapping herself in a toga-like fashion, she left him on the bed with only the comforter. 

"Where are you going?" he asked her, trying hard not to admire the goddess-like appearance this new style gave her. Apparently Hermione hid quite the body underneath her school robes. Such a shame to waste it on a Mudblood.

"I'm going to take a shower Draco, since it concerns you so much. We can discuss what we're going to do about our nuptials later."  Gracefully, with her head held high and her eyes full of as much dignity as she could muster, Hermione walked towards the suite's bathroom and shut the door behind her.

* * * * * * * * * * 

        Draco toweled himself off and grabbed one of the complimentary robes hanging from the bathroom door. That was just what he needed. A nice cold shower to cool down his body. Honestly, he felt like a horny teenager. Just thinking he had probably kissed and caressed Hermione's creamy skin and couldn't even remember it, then the image of her wrapped like an Aphrodite in the sunlight, then the idea that only a door, which he could unlock with a few words, separated him from her soft, wet body. 

Draco grabbed his toothbrush with a high degree of disgust, he had recalled that this was the Mudblood he was thinking about. Maybe she was sexier than he remembered her, but he simply could not marry a Mudblood. Then again . . . the deed had already been done. Perhaps he could become quite comfortable with this new arrangement. Aside from the fact that he had always made such a big deal about it in school, with the fall of Voldemort, people had stopped caring about blood lines. If the wizarding world no longer cared, why should he? Why should the blood in her veins stop him from having his wicked way with her? Hmm . . . somehow the idea of throwing Hermione into a bed and taking her lacked the ickiness he might have once felt at the thought. Actually, it had a lot of appeal. With this in mind, Draco exited the bathroom with a smile.

* * * * * * * * * * 

        For once, the feeling of being sure of something was bittersweet for Hermione. She _knew _that Draco had been all over her last night. She saw the slight bruises and the soreness between her legs was tell-tale. It was funny that she had never planned on giving her virginity to Malfoy, but to her true love. That was bitter. Knowing she was sure of what had happened, but also knowing Draco didn't, was sweet. She could keep it a secret and then have this whole ridiculous encounter annulled. He had the money and the power to get the whole ordeal over with in a hurry. Picking up a strawberry and dipping it in whipped cream, Hermione felt the satisfaction she always got from coming up with an excellent solution to a problem. After it was all over, Draco and herself could walk away from this horrible business and pretend it had never happened. 

Just then, Draco appeared at the door in a deep green robe. Hermione looked away from him. Her blush was returning.

* * * * * * * * * * *

        Draco shamefully enjoyed his wife's discomfort. He had always enjoyed pissing her off. However, he also realized that there was a certain cuteness in her annoyance. Her cheeks were stained with a pretty pink blush and she refused to look at him.

        "We need to talk Malfoy," she told him unnecessarily, picking up another strawberry. What a women she was! She was already putting on a brave face!

        Draco didn't hear what followed as he watched her spread her plum lips and pop the end of the strawberry in. He was instantly jealous of those lips when she licked them in an innocently seductive fashion, tasting the last of the cream from them.

        "What do you think?" she finished. She got not response. "Draco!" she snapped.

        "What?" he demanded, finally tuning into his wife's voice. 

        "Just cal your lawyer this afternoon ad tell him that you want to get an annulment as soon as possible. Tell him that you don't know what you were thinking and you are not ready to be married and that you want to be single again by tomorrow night. Tell him anything that will get as out of this mess the fastest," Hermione replied. "After this, you and I can go back to our own lives and act like this whole thing never occurred."

        Draco was stunned. Not so much by what she had just said, but because he knew he did not want any such thing to happen just yet. Let's say he was driven by lust. "Of course I can't do that," he said instead.

        Hermione's eyes widened. "Why the hell not!? This was all a big mistake and I want it to be over as quickly as it can possibly be!"

        Good question. Why the hell not indeed. Fortunately, Malfoys always had an answer to the hardest of queries.

        "First of all, I can't admit that I didn't have the foresight to get my own wife into bed. Secondly, I won't have people wondering about the undignified circumstances in which we were wed that would cause me to wake up the very next morning and regret it," was Draco's response.

        It was at the tip of Hermione's tongue to tell him that he had gotten his wife into bed and could she please be set free, but she bit the words back. She would not give him the satisfaction.

        "Draco be reasonable!" she hissed through clenched teeth. "I don't want to be married to you anymore than you want to be married to me!"

        Draco got up and headed to the closet. "Hermione, I've made up my mind already. No annulment. We at least have to stay married for a reasonable amount of time."

        "And what exactly is a reasonable amount of time Malfoy?" Hermione snapped. "I won't sit around with you for years and years waiting for you to get bored of the novelty!"

        Draco chose to ignore the question. "Hurry up and get dressed Mrs. Malfoy," he told her as he flicked through his wardrobe. "We're going to see who married us last night. I have my money on the chapel downstairs." 

Draco heard Hermione's shriek of anger and ducked just in time as the bowl of strawberries flew towards his head, shattering against the wall behind him. He stood and looked at the mess with a shake of his head. "Really Hermione," he said, clucking his tongue as he waved his wand to clean up the shattered glass and smashed berries. "That was unnecessary and no way for a Malfoy bride to behave."

Hermione's response was to send the dish of whipped cream the way of the fruit bowl.

* * * * * * * * * * 

        "Yes indeed. I do remember you two," the old parson said with a frown. "You burst in here late last night demanding a marriage certificate and ceremony. You were totally drunk, but refused to leave without a wedding. Had the rings ready and everything."

        Hermione choked back a sob. Draco, although his face drained of colour, tried to remain calm. "Who was our witness?" he asked in a cool voice.

        "A little barmaid," replied the parson. "Pretty little thing, but she shivered the whole time in those slivers of material around her waist and chest."

        "I don't know any barmaids here!" an incredulous Draco exclaimed. "Where did she come from?"

        "I assume she came from the bar you had been at previous," the parson replied in a disapproving voice. "I see you regret getting married at all," he commented. "Funny, I regret performing the ceremony. Stayed awake all night feeling guilty."

        Draco, seeing Hermione redden with shame, felt riled. Nobody insults a Malfoy or his wife. He took her hand and rubbed a thumb over it in a soothing fashion. "We don't have any regrets, he informed the parson quite forcefully. "We simply came to obtain a copy of the certificate, the video if you have one, and pictures."

        The old man nodded grimly and reached into a desk drawer. He took out the said items and passed them to Draco. 

        "Thank you for your time," Draco told him, standing, taking Hermione with him. "We'll just be on our way."

        As soon as they were back in the foyer, Hermione snatched her had from her husband's grasp. "I was _drunk_ on my _wedding day_ Draco!" she snapped angrily. "There is no way I'm staying in a loveless marriage with you!"

        She really was quite a stunning creature when she was angry. "Hermione, you're making a scene," he said instead. "People are staring. Now smile, we might have to talk to some of them over dinner later. You'll be meeting some of my associates."

        Realizing that he was right, Hermione obliged him with a small smile and allowed him to take her hand. She would give him hell when they arrived back in the hotel room.

* * * * * * * * * * 

**A/N: **Well that's what I have so far, and I actually have a plan for the next chapter too if I bother to write it. Review and tell me what you think. If I get some good feedback, I'll spend more time on following chapters.

~CaramelSweetness66


	2. Chapter 2

**The Morning After**

**A/N:** I am really glad to see that there are people who actually _liked _the first chapter of this fic. Actually, their faith in it has made me like it a little bit. In response to one reviewer – I totally agree. An engagement ring sexier than J. Lo's and an even finer husband would not bother me at all. If you ask me, Hermione is a rather ungrateful girl. I set her up really nice don't you think? ;-)

* * * * * * * * * *

        Hermione sat at the table sipping a virgin fruit cocktail (no more alcohol for her for a _long_ time!) as she, Draco, three associates of her husband's, and another wife, waited for their food. While he carried on conversation with the other Minister's from the Ministry for Magic, she tuned out and instead, wallowed in self-pity. Here she was, a girl with a future, a girl who had previously gone on a vacation as single, sexy, and free, (and she was totally cool with that!) and now she was suddenly unaware of what she was doing tomorrow or next week because she woke up one distressing morning with a husband who refused to let her give him back his ring. It really was quite stressful for her.

        The pictures from her marriage to Draco had brought this sudden feeling of desolation upon her. That had to be it. The sight of her with a glass of champagne in one hand and an obviously drunk Draco kissing one of her laughing cheeks was just too mortifying. And the tape! Oh the tape! She had never giggled and burped so much in her life. It was the most undignified thing she had ever done. Then the part where she kissed him . . . She had tried to fast forward it, but her prat of a husband had wanted to view that bit especially. She had melted into his arms according to that tape. She had apparently enjoyed every moment of it. If she didn't know better, she would think that she had found it rather . . . blissful? Eww . . . his tongue had been in her mouth . . . for quite a long time.

To think that she had always dreamed of the church wedding, the long white dress, and her mother crying in the front pew was shot to pieces because she couldn't hold a little liquor. She was no longer beautiful, intelligent Hermione, top Hogwarts graduate, professor of the new Analysis of Magical Theory course at her old school (this made her quite content) – now she was all of that and Malfoy's new wife. Merlin, her life sucked all of a sudden. What grave sin had she committed to deserve this?

        "- I said to my wife just this afternoon," Draco was saying. "Right Hermione?"

        "Right. Yes," she replied wearily.

         "So what do you do Mrs. Malfoy?" Mrs. Sylvia LeBeaux, wife of the Minister of Wizarding Finances, asked with a pleasant smile.

        Hermione had to smile, her work was her life. Nothing satisfied her more. "I'm a Professor at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," she replied with a smile. "I teach a new course called Analysis of Magical Theory."

        "That sounds fascinating," Sylvia replied with a nod of her head. "I wonder why they never taught it when we were in school."

Hermione liked this lady already and was immediately engaged in conversation with her. 

* * * * * * * * * * 

        Draco watched Hermione chat with Minister LeBeax's wife and smiled proudly. She certainly was a great catch, however accidental, if you pretended that her parents weren't Muggles. Her adorable smile was infectious and the other men at the table kept grinning at her like idiots. Her eyes were so chocolately brown you could get lost in their depths. 

Her beauty came with a price though. If unmarried Ministers Fossey and Kwom didn't stop staring at her in that lustful fashion, Draco was going to throw them both across the room. If anyone was going to ogle her chest and think about her naked and get away with it, it was him damn it!

The band started up again just then and the ladies at the table looked longingly out onto the dance floor.

"Let's dance Hermione," Draco said, before he realized what he was doing. Already he was standing with a hand extended. He tried not to let her shocked face put him off, he was the idiot after all for standing up in the first place. He would see this through. "Come on," he insisted. "I know you want to!"

Hermione looked out at the other couples already on the floor and then back at her husband. It looked so romantic . . . perhaps when she closed her eyes, she could pretend that someone else was holding her closely. "Okay," she gave in finally.

Along with Mrs. LeBeaux and her husband, the Malfoy couple stepped onto the floor. Draco was pleasantly surprised to discover that Hermione fit perfectly into his arms. Her hair smelled like fresh fruit and there was another fragrance that he could not name that was more tantalizing than anything he had ever had the pleasure of sniffing appreciatively. "Hermione?" he asked as they swayed to the music.

"Yes?" she responded.

"What scent are you wearing?" he queried.

Hermione looked slightly confused. "I'm not wearing one," she answered, a delicate eyebrow raised.

Ahhh . . . so it was expressly Hermione. He could certainly get used to this. Yes he could.

* * * * * * * * * *  

        This was not good. This was not good at all. One could actually go so far as to say that this had to be the most heinous thing that had ever happened.

        Hermione was snuggled as closely to Draco as she could be (with clothes on) and she was enjoying it! Merlin, how disgusting! She was actually, and very secretly, hoping that he would slide that hand on her waist a little bit lower. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and tried to recall all of the things that she found hideous about the man with which she was dancing. He had bruised her. Right. That was enough for now.

        "Malfoy, we need to set some boundaries in this, dare I call it, "relationship," of ours," she announced as the music changed to a more seductive beat.

        "Such as?" he replied, leading her into a graceful spin, his light blonde brow imitating the rise hers had taken earlier.

        "Firstly, we are going to continue to lead separate lives. Secondly, I will keep the ring if you _absolutely _insist upon it." There, with a twist of her hips, she had shared her plan of action. 

        "That's it?" he asked calmly, stroking her back with a finger in the fashion the dance called for.

        "Yes," she replied with a smug grin, running a hand down his chest. "It's perfect."

        "Perfectly ridiculous," he commented, dipping her suddenly over his knee and drawing the attention of other dancers. 

        Hermione could only look up at him in dismay. Merlin! Did he have to be so childish!?

        "You're going to live with me at Malfoy Manor," he informed her, slowly bringing her back upright. "I shan't have it getting around that my bride is staying in some shoddy professor's apartment at Hogwarts."

        Hermione's eyes widened as her body slowly and oh-so-deliciously rubbed against his as he returned her to a standing position. She was hardly even listening anymore. Her hormones were in high gear. She made a mental note to check her calendar. Aunt Flo must be on the way.

        "For the purpose of keeping the humiliation to a minimum, we'll be pleasant and affectionate to one another in public, otherwise, staying together would be a waste of time and effort," Draco went on, spinning his wife out. "We're starting today. I've already had the concierge ring the hotel that you were at previous. Your belongings will be upstairs when we leave the dining room."

        Hermione forgot the previous pleasure she'd experienced from their close embrace. Her eyes were now narrowed with indignation as she spun back in. Her back was to her husband and she took his hand as the dance dictated, but glared at him over her shoulder. "How _dare_ you!?" she hissed, glad that other couples had gotten bored of them and were no longer paying them any mind. "You never asked my permission before taking matters into your own hands! I refuse to be bullied by you Malfoy! It didn't work in school and it won't work now either!" 

        The two twisted their hips together, towards the ground and back up again in a highly sexy manner. Anybody watching would never have guessed that the two were arguing.

        "Cut the hysterics Granger," Draco said in a dismissive tone. "You have far more to gain from this marriage than me. You are guaranteed the utmost respect as my wife whether we stay married or not. You now have the power to attend any party, step in front of any line, or have any position a working wizard could want. Wallow in it. It's a good life."

        How intriguing. The benefits had been easily ignored while Hermione focused on the cons of her situation.

        "I, on the other hand," Draco went on, "must simply continue this charade until I can respectably call a lawyer to make this marriage obsolete."

        Hermione's face reddened with anger just as the song ended, causing her to head straight back to the table.

        "Merlin!" Kwom commented when they were seated again. "I haven't seen a performance like that in a while!"

        "Can I have a dance next Mrs. Malfoy?" Minister Fossey asked with a gleam in his eye.

        Hermione blushed. "I don't know. I'm a little tired and I can't even dance!"

        "Not by the looks of it," Mrs. LeBeaux said, rejoining the table with her husband just then. "It looked more like your bodies truly_ knew _each other out there. I suppose that's not surprising considering that you're man and wife. You must dance together all the time."

        "Oh yes," Draco said smoothly, lifting his glass of champagne. "Hermione and I dance together ever night. Our bodies fit together perfectly."

        Hermione blushed to the roots of her hair. Perhaps nobody else had heard the double meaning in his words, but she had. She didn't like the idea that he flustered her so easily. She responded to his comment with a glare that nobody but him seemed to notice. Honestly! Did he have to look so bloody smug!?

        "How long have you been married?" Sylvia inquired.

        "Not very long," Hermione replied vaguely, sipping her cocktail and shooting Draco a warning glance.

        Draco paid her no notice. "We were married very recently actually. We're on our honeymoon."

        Hermione groaned inwardly as the others at the table congratulated them. Could this possibly be more humiliating?

        "Shame on you Mr. Malfoy!" Sylvia laughed, waving a finger in mock annoyance. "You never told anybody that you were getting married!"

        Draco took the opportunity to take Hermione's hand. Looking deep into her eyes he said, "Nobody knew – we eloped."

        Yes, apparently it could get worse. Hermione was developing a twitch.      

        "How romantic!" Mrs. LeBeaux gushed. She punched her husband in the arm. "Philip, isn't that just lovely!?"

        Hermione didn't even hear Mr. LeBeaux's response. She was too busy wishing death on her husband to care.

        "Well," Draco said, standing. "I think Hermione and I should retire to our room. I'm tired and my wife looks unwell." Still holding Hermione's hand, he rose from the table and then handed his wife her little beaded evening bag. 

        They said their goodbyes and made their exit. All the way down the main hall towards the elevator, Hermione stewed. She might even have killed him in the elevator with her bare hands (or one Unforgivable Curse) if it hadn't been for the elderly couple that had also been inside, grinning at them in a sort of "aren't they the cutest thing?" sort of way. Merlin – she was still holding the ferret's hand!

        "That was fun wasn't it?" Draco asked her as he undid his tie with one hand and grabbed the newspaper when they arrived back at the hotel room.

        Hermione could only stand there and stare at him, her face a shade of plum, her eyes full of rage. "Fun? Fun!?" she exploded, beginning to attack him with her bag. She hit him over and over again in an attempt to release her stress.

        Draco took her abuse and simply waited for her to get tired. "Are you quite finished?" he asked when she took a step back from him, breathing heavily.

        Hermione just glared daggers at him, then threw her bag on the floor and walked away. "I'm going to take a shower," she told him angrily.

        Draco laughed to himself. Her response to his teasing made it entirely too satisfying that he simply couldn't resist the temptation to bug her.

* * * * * * * * * * 

        Hermione stepped out of the shower, feeling a little calmer. She was going to attempt another mature conversation with Draco regarding their situation. Perhaps re-approach him with her plan from earlier in a different way. She simply could not stay married to him. It was unthinkable. One of them would be dead, if not by the end of the week, the end of the month.

        Hermione wrapped herself in a towel and reached for her toothbrush. With a small smile she remembered that she wouldn't have to use the complimentary one again, her things were in the next room. She unlocked the bathroom door.

* * * * * * * * * * 

        Hermione had just come out of the bathroom, a small part of Draco's mind registered. He was too busy reading the Wizarding Stocks in the paper that he barely glanced up. But that barely was worth it! Draco's head snapped up again so that he could fully appreciate the sight before him. 

        Hermione was wrapped in a thick towel and her hair was pinned up in an adorably messy fashion. She was a small girl, but her legs . . . Merlin . . . more than half of her body _had _to be legs. Draco crossed his own as his imagination wandered up her leg and straight up that towel. Little droplets of water were clinging to her and some were dripping off in a very inviting "take me now" kind of way. As she bent over a suitcase, Draco took the time to upraise the fullness of her chest when her towel dipped a bit and he smothered a groaned. Why weren't they in that king sized bed shagging like nature intended again? They hated each other. Right. It was at this time the he realized that Hermione was staring at him with a scandalized expression.

        "What are you looking at?" she demanded, her clothes and toiletries pressed closely to her.

        "Absolutely nothing," Draco replied, feigning innocence and returning to his paper.

        Hermione huffed and headed back to the bathroom. Draco eyed her bum as she walked away. This was going to be a long night.

* * * * * * * * * * 

        It was a good thing Hermione had bothered to pack night clothes at all she thought as she slipped into her red lace teddy. When she was at home, she hardly bothered with them at all, but if she did, they were always feminine frivolous articles. Every girl has a guilty pleasure. She couldn't sleep in the same bed with Malfoy dressed like this! Hermione could hardly even call her current state dressed! He could hardly even control his eyes when she was covered up in a towel (she had totally seen then glaze over!). This little number left a lot less to the imagination. No . . . she was not wearing this to bed if she had to share with Malfoy. She threw open the bathroom door.

        "Whoa!" Draco, who had been about to enter for his shower (as though he really, _truly _had forgotten that she was inside changing), caught her as she came flying out the door. "Look what I caught," he added with a smile, scanning her hardly-there night wear.

        "Wipe that smile off of your face Malfoy!" she snapped, angry that she was enjoying being in his arms so much, irritating that he was checking her out _again. _"I'm changing."

        Pushing him off of her, she headed straight for the closet and began to rummage around.

        "Hey!" Draco called. "Those are my clothes!"

        "I'm your wife," Hermione muttered from inside of the closet. "What's yours is mine."

        She emerged wearing one of his shirts and Draco's jaw dropped. He no longer wanted to rip the shirt off of her because she didn't have his permission to parade around in his clothes – now he wanted to rip it off of her because she looked too damn good in it. Those gorgeous legs of hers were back to visit, that shirt just wasn't covering enough of her. If she was smart, she wouldn't dare bend over – Merlin only knew what Draco would do then. Draco admired the sprinkling of freckles that the Creator had very kindly given her and idly wondered if she had them everywhere. Wasn't he supposed to be in the shower? He better make it a cold one.

        Hermione, obviously believing that he had something to complain about (actually, he was currently thinking that life to this point hadn't been half as good and was entertaining methods in which to increase his elation), rolled up the cuffs and did up a few more buttons. "Don't bother to complain about your lovely shirt Malfoy," she said, "you'll get it back. Goodnight."

        Hermione pushed passed him and headed towards the bed. Climbing in, she shut off the lamp and lay down. "See you in the morning," she muttered, closing her eyes.

        If Hermione only knew what Draco dreamt about that night.

* * * * * * * * * *

**A/N:** Well that's the end of chapter two! I was happy to see that people reviewed saying that they liked it and I should continue. There were even readers of my other story asking me not to neglect it. (In regards to that, I actually have a plan again, it's just that I'm not into it right now – don't worry, I'll get back on track soon enough!)

This time, I think I have a few ideas about what I want to put in this story, but I am really only doing it for fun until I get bored again.

I was wondering if anyone has read any really good Draco/Hermione stories lately and would they please suggest some to me. I am waiting for the author's of my favourites to update and am having difficulty reading anything else past the first chapter (if I don't stop before then!) Draco/Ginny stories can be cute too – I'm reading that one based on that Nick Cage movie. It's very good. So I'll say I like them cute, funny, romantic, fluffy, Hermione/Draco (but I'm open to other ships if the story is good), and I like them better if the characters are married (for some reason – lol).

I hope everyone continues to read and review!

Ohhh . .  Vicky . . . is this story "kawaii" too? LoL!!

~CaramelSweetness66


	3. Chapter 3

**The Morning After – Chapter Three**

A/N:   Hello dear readers! It's been a while hasn't it? I have been so busy lately that I just haven't bothered with the whole story thing. I was always happy to see more reviews though, and so far I seem to be getting a really positive response for this story. I hope that I can keep it up to par!

There are some readers concerned about conflict occurring in this fic. I have a few ideas of the twists and turns that I want to take place, but who knows . . . I might change it depending on the feedback I get from reviewers.

There was also a comment about why Hermione was relying on Draco to get the annulment sorted out. With my limited knowledge on such arrangements, I believe most people can't usually do things like that overnight and the costs for lawyers in a case in which proceedings must take place quickly are very expensive. That is one area in which Draco has the upper hand. Also, I took it upon myself to assume that both parties must sign the papers to make it legal and he told her he would refuse as it would bring him shame. He had his reasons. For the purpose of the story, regardless of whether I was right or not for believing these things, that's the way it goes. If I'm wrong, clearly if I had stuck to reality, there would be no story.

As far as . . .  dare I say . . . smut . . . *cough* . . . I am not really a big fan of that kind of thing. There are some writers who put all kinds of details and so on into it and then I feel that the story takes on this PWP (Plot? What Plot?) sort of feel that just annoys me. Seriously, it's more about romance for me. I try to add the general idea to my stories without getting carried away. For those of you who were concerned about how far I was planning to take it . . . I can safely say far enough. I don't know, maybe I'll take it a step further than I did in my other story, experiment a little with the idea, but I don't want to make my story nasty so people don't respect the writing style anymore. Don't get me wrong, some people are actually good at that sort of thing. Somehow they can describe it without making it seem like a scene from a porno . . . like the Fires of Beltane which is on this site. It is one of . . . I _think_ three R rated stories I've read on fanfiction.net. Hermione Malfoy is really good too. It's my all-time favourite story. Not just because the author isn't extra with the whole sex thing, but it is extremely funny. (Ironically, the author hasn't even read the books and the story is still _that _fantastic!) I hope I haven't offended anyone – this was totally not about bashing fics. That's just my opinion and it'll set the minds of those readers who agree with me and wonder how I'm planning to write at ease.

Anyways, I've written quite a long note, you're all getting bored and ready to hit the X at the top corner of the screen. Just one more thing: For some reason, my left eye is killing me – bear with me if this chapter is riddled with spelling mistakes. I think my plan is to edit the entire story on a rainy day or when it's complete – whichever comes first.

Onto chapter three . . .

* * * * * * * * * * 

          "No Draco," Hermione said with a frantic shake of her head. "I can't do it."

          "What do you mean you can't do it?" he questioned her incredulously. "Didn't anyone ever teach you how? Don't tell me this is your first time!"

          "Of course this isn't my first time you silly git!" Hermione snapped. "Draco, you don't understand, my mother will be appalled! She might faint!" 

          "Honestly Hermione, we're married - your mother will not have a conniption! Just do it Hermione," Draco said in a smooth, salesman's voice. "I promise - you'll feel great when it's over."

          Hermione shook her head emphatically.

          "Oh for Merlin's sake Hermione, you're mother has done it too. She'll probably be ecstatic."

          "Yes my mother has done it too, but she did it the right way. Merlin, she'll think I've forgotten my upbringing!"

          "What exactly is the _right _way Hermione?" Draco asked, an eyebrow raised.

          "White dress. Church or outdoor ceremony. Friends and family. That's the right way Draco."

          "I will not beg for it Hermione. If you won't do it, I'll get someone else too."

          "Oh really?" Hermione replied, indignant. "Like who pray tell?"

          "My mother," Draco replied with a satisfied smile, he knew he had won.

          "You wouldn't!" Hermione cried.

          "I would," Draco nodded.

          Of course, what Hermione and Draco were discussing was whether or not Hermione would pick up the phone and call her parents to let them know that she had gotten married a week ago. In all honesty, Draco might have begged rather than have his mother do it, he was tiring of this argument every day; however, his bluff seemed to be working. Surprisingly, his mother seemed to be taking it quite well. He supposed she was happy he had married at all and could possibly give her grandchildren rather than living the life of a bachelor forever. As he no longer had to worry about his father's opinion, this was a huge relief. He couldn't imagine why Hermione's parents could take it any worse than his own mother might have.

          "Alright fine, I'll call them," Hermione conceded nervously. "But you can't be in the room."

          Draco rolled his eyes. "Whatever floats your boat Hermione. "I'll be in the study. I have to arrange for our travel plans home tomorrow morning."

          Hermione watched her husband (that was so weird . . . her _husband? _Sleeping with him in the same bed was obviously not doing a good enough job of removing the weirdness factor) leave the room. Picking up the telephone and heaving a deep breath, Hermione punched in her parents' telephone number.

* * * * * * * * * * 

          Draco put down the paper he was reading when he heard Hermione open the door and enter the study. "How did it go?" he asked.

          Hermione's eyes were unfocussed. She looked like she was in a state of shock. "They're really excited," she responded after a few moments, as though she could still hardly believe it.

          "I told you," Draco said with a self-satisfied grin. He leaned back in his chair and nodded. "They couldn't be happier I assume. They had probably long given up hope of you ever marrying. Perhaps they thought that you would end up an old maid and this was your last ditch attempt at happiness."   

          This was clearly enough to bring Hermione out of her trance.

          "Excuse me!?" she demanded of him. "What did you say?"

          "Nothing," Draco told her with an impish grin. "Just pointed out the fact that I was right and you were wrong. It looks like you're not used to being incorrect Miss Granger. You reminded me of Professor Trelawney for a moment what with that dream like state you had about you." 

          "The only thing that is incorrect here is the reason why you believe I am a little shaken," Hermione shot back. "Care to ask what my mother said to me before she hung up?"

          Draco focussed on a point above Hermione's head – something told him that he had to brace himself for this. "Alright, what did your mother say to you before she hung up?" 

          "She said something along the lines of: "'We'll see you and your new husband in two weeks dear. 'Bye!'" if I recall correctly," Hermione responded.

          Was it wrong for her to be so happy that the colour was draining from her husband's already very pale skin? He seemed to be taking this a lot harder than she had. Excellent. Her spirits were taking a sudden climb.

          "Well call her back and tell her we can't go Hermione!" Draco told her. "Come up with an excuse of some kind to get out of it! I'll have a nice apology gift sent to the house or something!"

          Hermione now took the time to sit back and smile. Malfoy was really quite cute when he was nervous. "You don't just 'come up with an excuse' when it comes to my mother Draco. Notice there was no slight lift to my voice when I told you what she said. It was not a question. It was a demand. She also, through years of training, has taught me the difference between a demand in which I may put in an appeal and a demand in which there will be no further discussion. There was a goodbye followed by a connection with the dial tone. Now if I took all the right notes growing up, that means: Hermione and Draco have no choice and they had better start packing. Anymore questions before I take my shower?"  Hermione almost giggled, the look on his face was so amusing. "Didn't think so." Hermione made her exit.

* * * * * * * * * *

          "Hermione?" Draco asked that night when they were in bed. She seemed to have fallen asleep. "Hermione?" he asked again. Leaning towards her ear, Draco whispered, "Was it as good for you as it was for me?"

          Horrified, Hermione suddenly sat up in bed and inched away from him as far as she could get without falling off of the bed. "What the hell are you talking about Malfoy!?" His disgruntled wife even went so far as to lift the sheets and check the state of herself beneath, then look back up to eye her husband suspiciously.

          "I want to talk to you about this visit to your Mum and Dad's," Draco explained to her.

          "Can't we talk about this in the morning Draco?" Hermione snapped, annoyed. "Do you know what time it is? We have an early day you know! I'm warning you Malfoy, I am not exactly the ideal companion when I don't have at least eight hours sleep!"

          "No," Draco responded stubbornly, crossing his arms. "We have to talk about it now or else I won't be able to sleep. Then I'll be in a bad mood tomorrow, and I guarantee, you'll end up being in a bad mood too eventually."

          "Is that a threat or something Malfoy?" Hermione demanded, becoming more alert by the second. "Let me remind you that I'm not your mother, your maid, or your house elf okay? We're going to acknowledge the fact that yes, you were an incredibly spoiled brat growing up – still are. But we are also going to get something straight, no matter what you're used to, just because you say jump, I will _not _ask how high. Got it?"

          He was getting it alright. Nobody aside from his father had ever stood up to him in such a fashion. He was incredibly turned on right now.

          "And furthermore -" Hermione began, but was cut off. Draco was kissing her.

          It was the most delicious kiss that she had ever experienced. Every brush of his lips against hers sent shivers down her spine. Oh yes . . . was that his hand creeping across her stomach and heading down her thigh? Draco  . . . Draco . . . oh  . . . Oh Merlin! Draco! Hermione's eyes snapped opened.

* * * * * * * * * * 

          The taste of her was intoxicating and incredibly refreshing. There were no words to describe the softness of her lips or her luxuriously silky skin. And nobody, _nobody _would have guessed how fantastic a kisser Hermione Granger . . . er . . . Malfoy, resident Hogwarts bookworm, truly was. Draco was melting into the softness of her feminine curves. He had dreamt about this for the past week and he was finally going to have his little wife. Nothing could stop him now . . . except for the woman beneath him as suddenly, the incredible pleasure was called to a halt.

          Pushing him off of her, Hermione sat up in the bed again. "What just happened?" she asked her husband with wide eyes.

          "What do you think Hermione?" Draco responded, irritated. He had been _so_ close!

          "You were kissing me. You were touching me," Hermione went on as though he had not spoken.

          _"Merlin!"_Draco thought. _"Don't remind me of the things I'm missing!" _

Finally, seeming to remember that she was not talking to herself, Hermione focussed on his face. "That can't happen again Draco. This marriage isn't real and I will not have you use me because I happen to be around," she said.

          "Using you never came to my mind," Draco assured her in a cool voice. "However, it was an excellent way of getting you to shut up."

          Hermione did not even respond to that comment. Snuggling back in the sheets and turning her back to him, she muttered a goodnight and closed her eyes.

          Draco followed suit. Merlin he was an idiot. No way was Hermione going to forget that anytime soon. If he didn't start to think before he spoke where she was concerned, he was never going to indulge in those fantasies that he had been entertaining lately.

* * * * * * * * * * 

          Hermione and Draco had arrived at the breath-taking Malfoy Manor by Floo. Hermione could hardly contain her admiration for the grounds and rooms that the manor had to offer. She followed Draco throughout the house as he gave her the grand tour of her new home.

          "This will be our bedroom," he announced, swinging open a door with a flourish and gesturing inside.

          Hermione preceded him into the room and looked around. Never before, not even in magazines, had she seen a room as splendid as this one. Although Draco had insisted that they continue to share a room, this hardly fazed her. She decided to put more energy into basking in the immense satisfaction that she had for her surroundings.

          "Now, we're going to be meeting my mother downstairs for tea in a few minutes," Draco informed his wife. "Just freshen up while we wait to be called down, a house elf will unpack your things. I'm going to post some letters so I will meet you downstairs."

Hermione hardly had time to nod before he had left the room.

* * * * * * * * * * 

Draco thanked Merlin that his mother was being so understanding about the whole marriage thing. Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined that Narcissa Malfoy would not only accept the fact that he had married a Mudblood, but wholeheartedly welcome her into the family. He barely even had time to register all of that information while his wife and mother talked about the wedding. 

"Was it a beautiful ceremony?" Narcissa asked her daughter-in law, a concerned frown on her face.

"Well . . ." Hermione began, shooting a look at Draco, "the establishment in which the wedding took place was very lovely, but it really wasn't the extravagant ceremony that my mother has probably always imagined for me."

"Well we'll just have to remedy that sooner or later Hermione," Narcissa informed her. "I want to see my son married before all of our friends and family. I never thought I would see the day when he brought a wife home at all!"

          Hermione felt a tingle of pleasure when she felt the heat from Draco's blush in the palm of the hand that was holding one of hers.

          "Perhaps we should," Hermione responded, trying not to laugh.

          Draco watched the conversation, hardly saying a word. When his embarrassment at his mother's upfront attitude diminished, he simply marvelled at the show Hermione was putting on. She was really quite a stunning actress. She lied with incredible ease and no question, no matter how personal, seemed to put her off balance. It was really very Slytherin of her. Draco squirmed in his chair. Since he had married this girl, he was the cleanest he had ever been in his life. All he did was take cold showers these days. Just as this thought came to mind, the maid entered the room.

          "Master and Mistresses Malfoy, dinner is being served in the dining room in a few minutes," she said, dipping a low curtsy and leaving the room as quickly as she came.

          _"Thank Merlin this is over with!"_ Draco thought with relief. The whole ordeal had really had him on edge. He hoped the visit to Hermione's folks in two weeks would not grate on his nerves quite so much.

* * * * * * * * * * 

          _"Oh Merlin,"_ Hermione thought anxiously. _"I feel like a lamb going to the slaughter!"_  She was currently in the back of a taxicab with Draco, driving towards her parents' and she was finding it increasingly difficult not to fidget. Hermione simply could not believe that this was happening, that she was actually going to pull off this charade in front of her parents. She tried very hard to control the shaking that her body seemed to feel was the correct response to her current emotions.

          Draco looked over at her. "Nervous?" he asked.

          "Weren't you before we spoke with your mother?" Hermione hissed at him, trying not to draw the attention of the driver. "I should think you would feel a little sympathy for me!"   

          "Of course I wasn't worried Hermione. Malfoys do not worry," Draco replied with a casual wave of his hand, turning back to the window. "I don't see why you're squirming around like you have ants crawling up your skirt. They told you that they were excited and happy for you. What's there to worry about?"

          Hermione chose not to respond to his comment. She was too busy trying not to hyperventilate now that the car had pulled up in front of her parents' drive.

          Draco paid the driver and then, with his hand at the small of Hermione's back, walked with her up to the front porch. Hermione didn't even bother to tell him to bugger off as it was actually quite comforting to know that he was with her right now. She rang the doorbell. 

          "Sweetheart! You're here!" Hermione's mother Jillian Granger cried happily when she answered the door to find that Hermione and Draco had arrived

          "Hi Mummy!" Hermione said, throwing herself into her mother's arms for a long embrace.

          "And this must be Draco," Mrs. Granger said finally, turning to upraise her new son-in-law. Obviously pleased with his finely tailored suit, crisp hair cut, piercingly attractive silver eyes, and general, all-around hotness, she nodded in approval. "Come here dear," she said to him. "Give Mother Granger a hug."

          Hermione released the breath that she had not even realized that she was holding. She had no idea when it had begun to matter to her whether her parents liked Draco or not, but Hermione decided that the logical answer to that question was that it stemmed from her subconscious desire not to complicate her current situation any further. 

          Draco stepped forward, but didn't hug Mrs. Granger; instead her took her hand and kissed it, taking Hermione aback. "A pleasure to finally meet you Mrs. Granger," he said. 

          A blushing Jillian Granger, clearly happy that her daughter's husband was so charming, shut the door behind them and called to her husband. "Andrew! Andrew where are you!? Hermione and Draco are here!"

          Andrew Granger appeared at the top of the stairs.

          "Daddy!" Hermione cried, racing up the stairs to meet him for another warm hug.

          "Draco my boy," Andrew said when he got to the bottom of the stairs and was face to face with his new son-in-law. "Good to finally meet you." The two men shook hands.

          "Hermione, take Draco upstairs to your bedroom please to put away your luggage and wash up for dinner," Jillian Granger said, gesturing to the suitcases. "I'll have supper on the table in about twenty minutes."

          "Okay Mum," Hermione said, grabbing her bags and leading the way up the staircase.

* * * * * * * * * *

          "So when are you going to give me some grandchildren?" Jillian asked Draco over dinner that evening. 

Hermione choked on a piece of lettuce and snatched up her wine glass.

"We're not planning on having any children too soon," he replied. "We want to spend some time together first, just get used to being married."

          Mr. Granger nodded as though he was slightly relieved. 

"How many children are you planning on having?" Jillian pressed on.

"Eight," Draco replied with a smile, taking Hermione's hand and squeezing it.

          Merlin her husband talked too much. Hermione's twitch was returning. Her left eye was jumping and there was simply nothing that she could do to stop it except succumb to a quick and painless death. 

          "Eight!?" Mr. and Mrs. Granger cried in surprise.

          "Oh yes. Eight is the perfect number," Draco explained. "Nothing could make me happier than having Hermione carry all of my children. Plus, we can give the Weasleys a run for their money."

          This response was greeted by laughter from his parents-in-law and a hot blush from his wife. The ice having been successfully broken, they managed to continue dinner without too many more difficult questions.

          "Well Mum," Hermione announced, putting down her napkin, "I think I'll take my shower and get into bed."

          "Not so fast dear!" Jillian said with a smile. "I want to take some pictures first! Andrew, go get the camera."

          Mr. Granger returned quickly. "Alright then you two," he said, pointing towards the settee in the family room across the way, "settle down right there so we can get some good shots."

Obliging him, Hermione and Draco sat down and faced him, unsure of what pose they were supposed to be in. 

"Come on now!" Mrs. Granger said with a smile. "Don't be shy! Let's have cuddle for the camera!          "

Hermione rested her head on Draco's shoulder and took his hand. It was a rather cozy pose and she was quite surprised to discover how much she liked it. Hermione's father snapped various photographs of the couple.

"Now we want a kiss for the album!" Mrs. Granger said with a smile.

"Mum . . ." Hermione protested.

"Really Jillian that isn't . . ." Mr. Granger added his opinions to Hermione's.

"Okay," Draco said, desperately attempting to contain his somewhat surprising excitement at the prospect of kissing his wife's sweet lips again.

"No arguments," Jillian Granger said with finality in her tone, casting her husband a sharp glance that clearly said: "Get over yourself."

Pulling his wife into his arms, Draco touched his lips lightly to hers. Merlin she tasted lovely.

* * * * * * * * * * 

          Hermione melted into Draco's arms. Her husband really knew how to kiss a girl. She was _this_ close to pulling him on top of her right there when she registered the flash of the camera. Where was she? Right . . . kissing her husband in front of her parents. Her eyes snapping open, Hermione pulled back from Draco in as casual a fashion as she could muster, much to her own disappointment.

          "I'm really going to take my shower now," she said with a small smile, standing. "Goodnight Mum, Dad. I'll see you in a bit Draco." With that, she turned towards the stairs.

* * * * * * * * * *

**A/N: **Well that's chapter three. The main idea was basically to ease the characters back into their real lives. They couldn't stay on honeymoon forever! I may go over it and re-write some parts if more ideas come to me, but this will do for now as a filler. Before anyone asks, there are characters that have not yet been mentioned, but will make their appearance in time. I know where I am going with the story currently (although I re-iterate: I may have a change of plans according to what my reviewers tell me). There will be plot twists eventually – lol – in my last story, people did not seem to have enough faith in me . . . never fear, it will come in time.

Please review and tell me what you think should happen next. I am hoping I can hold off the writer's block that I experienced with A Malfoy Marriage of Convenience.

Yes, in response to one review, "Aunt Flo" _is_ code for "that time of the month." 

Happy reading!

~CaramelSweetness66


	4. Chapter 4

**The Morning After – Chapter 4**

**A/N:** For those of you who don't have me on your Author Alert, but wanted to know when I was planning to update my other fic – I have. I updated it during the Easter weekend. Hurry! Read! Review! LoL!

I think I'm going to put a little more focus on this fic for the time being just because right now, any little ideas I have seem to be centred on Hermione and Draco's rather uncomfortable "Morning After."

Anyways, since I am not a big fan of all the chatter (LoL! We all remember my last author's note!), here's chapter four . . .

* * *

Hermione couldn't quite say when the dreams had started. When she had begun to close her eyes and see Draco's face, imagine all of the delicious things he would do to her with his mouth, his hands, his . . . was unknown to her.

In her old bedroom, in her parents' house, Hermione was dreaming of Draco. His talented hands were caressing her softly, eliciting heated moans from her that she could not control. Hermione snapped her eyes open, this was no dream. Her delicious fantasies had somehow become a reality.

Draco's hand was wandering down her thigh, and she shifted slightly, making out the outline of his face in the darkness.

"How long have you been awake?" she whispered into the darkened room.

"Around the time that you threw one leg over me Hermione," he replied. His features flickered from slight amusement to suppressed desire.

Indeed, Hermione had flung a leg over her husband in a possessive fashion. If she didn't know better, just under her calf, her husband was hiding a high power flashlight; she could feel it pressing into her soft flesh.

Hmm . . . we're not in Hogwarts anymore are we?

Hiding a wicked grin, Hermione ever so slowly, moved her leg a fraction further down her husband's body and sighed slightly, as though she were only making herself more comfortable. To her great satisfaction, she heard Draco's sharp intake of breath. She only had seconds, however, to absorb the feeling. The next thing Hermione knew, she was on her back with Draco hovering above her, kissing her with a passion that was spreading to her very toes. To her delight, Draco's hands and mouth were making a journey that she had only experienced at night when she shut her eyes and allowed her imagination to run wild. This time however, she was certainly not to be left unfulfilled as Draco hooked a finger on either side of her panty and slipped it past her thighs, her legs, her toes . . .

Arching her back towards him, Hermione writhed under his touch. Oh yes, this was what she wanted most in the world right now.

* * *

Hermione woke with the chirping of birds and warm sunshine on her face. Relishing the feel of the solid sheet of hard muscle below her and the arm that was protectively circling her waist, Hermione smiled with contentment.

Popping one eye opened, Hermione checked the alarm clock on the side table. It was only a little after ten. Maybe just a couple more minutes, then she would go and help with breakfast.

That plan flew out the window when the arm around her waist decided to go on a downward trail. Hermione smiled – so he was awake.

Pulling her up towards him, Draco touched his lips to hers. Perhaps Hermione would stay for more than a few minutes. She would help with breakfast tomorrow.

"Knock, knock!" came her mother's cheerful voice from the other side of the bedroom door. "Hermione! What about our Saturday morning tradition? We've got a huge breakfast to make!"

Draco groaned and pulled away from her and Hermione blushed. Merlin! What were they doing!?

"Coming Mum!" Hermione called back, grabbing a sheet and wrapping herself in it, just as she had on their first morning together. A blush crept its way all over her body as she recalled what she had spent most of last night doing. Stepping into her slippers and snatching her nightie, her robe, and her toiletry bag off of the floor, Hermione went into her bathroom and locked the door.

* * *

Draco threw a hand over his eyes and tried to control his utter amazement. He could barely move and it was all thanks to . . . little Hermione Granger. She could not have shocked him more if she started walking around with a sign that said Dangerous When Wet. Damn, if he had known this in school . . . On second thought, he _should_ have known. After all, wasn't it said that it was always the quiet ones?

Putting all lecherous (okay . . . _almost_ all) thoughts of his wife out of his mind, Draco decided that he had been right to refuse to allow them to go their separate ways immediately following their marriage. Coupled with the fact that her intelligence constantly kept him on his toes, he had just realized that Hermione Malfoy was a woman of very many incredible talents. The Malfoy was right again. It was enough to put a rather smug smile on his face when he realized that he had most likely been the first to sample those said talents. He had no qualms about continuing their . . . union . . . for a more extended period of time. Judging from what had almost happened again this morning, his wife obviously shared his thoughts. Too bad her mother had to crash their little party.

Feeling more than a little satisfied with himself, Draco slipped out of bed and grabbed his own things for an early morning shower in the bathroom down the hall.

* * *

"Crack these eggs for me dear," Mrs. Granger told her daughter, handing her the carton.

The next words that Hermione heard almost had her drop the dozen eggs she had taken from her mother.

"Good morning Mum, Hermione," Draco said, walking into the kitchen. "Do you need any help?" Walking towards Hermione, he wrapped an arm around her waist and nibbled on her ear, causing her cheeks to tint pink.

His mother-in-law smiled at their cute little picture and nodded. "Yes we do," she replied. "You can fry up the sausages while I put these baked beans in a sauce pan to heat up."

As the three of them worked away, Hermione was finding it hard to ignore the obvious brushes of Draco against her and the response she felt swirling throughout her body.

"Where's Mr. Granger?" Draco asked over the crackling of the stove.

"Andrew hardly ever comes down before breakfast is ready on a Saturday," Hermione's mother replied. "Tomorrow is his turn so he just sleeps in."

With three people as chefs, breakfast was soon ready and Mr. Granger made his appearance when he could no longer ignore the scent of bacon and coffee.

"Morning dear," Jillian smiled, pecking him on the cheek and passing him so that she could place the dish of scrambled eggs on the table. Turning to survey him more carefully, she frowned. "Andrew dear, are you ill? You look a bit peaky."

"Just didn't get enough sleep," Mr. Granger muttered back.

Mrs. Granger didn't take her suspicious eye off of her husband for the duration of the meal. "Honestly Andrew!" she finally exploded. "Would you kindly tell me what's wrong with you this morning!? You look like you're battling ghosts!"

"Really Jillian," he responded wearily, "it's nothing. I am just a little tired."

"Fine Andrew," she snapped. "Have it your way. There's actually something I want to discuss with you. Last night I heard squeaking and creaking. I think we may have mice. You're going to have to call someone to come in and deal with it."

Mr. Granger choked on his orange juice, and repentant for yelling at him, Mrs. Granger began to pound him on the back. Draco could see where Hermione got her nervous twitch from. Clearly the squeaking was the source of Mr. Granger's distress.

Hermione and Draco shared a look and then quickly glanced elsewhere – they were the _mice_. Hermione blushed to the roots of her hair and became engrossed in her toast while Draco stabbed at some eggs and chewed with relish in an effort to hide his smile.

* * *

Hermione was having no luck pushing Draco out of her mind. She had cleverly avoided him after breakfast by going into the family library and fine-tuning some of her lesson plans for the upcoming school year. While she tried to think of a brilliant new essay question for her students, Hermione could not help thinking back to last night and her sighs in the dark. Merlin! It was no use! Perhaps she would get some inspiration from _'Hogwarts: A History,'_ a book she put on the school list for her course every year. As far as Hermione was concerned, no student should be without it. Getting up from her father's desk, Hermione headed towards the bookcase and looked for the book in question. Oh – there it was on the top shelf. Hermione had lifted an arm to reach for it when two arms circled her from behind.

"There you are Mrs. Malfoy," Draco whispered into her ear. "You're rather hard to find."

This was just the position that Hermione had hoped she would not find herself in. She had been either trying to think of a way to avoid him tonight, or trying to think of a way to avoid thinking about him. She still couldn't believe what had happened last night. Clearly, her husband was a bad influence on her and she didn't trust herself to be alone with him. It was just like Draco to come and find her and ruin all of her plans.

Draco twisted her around to face him and leaned in to kiss her neck. "Miss me?" he asked her, pulling his wife closer.

A soft moan escaped her lips and Hermione began to panic. Her parents were home. It was broad daylight. What would happen if they burst in and caught them?

"Draco . . ." Hermione muttered, her arms moving of their own accord to her husband's shoulders, then her fingers slid into his hair. "Draco . . . we have to stop. We have to stop right now," she choked out.

"Why?" he asked her innocently, between butterfly kisses across her neck and collarbone.

"My . . ." Hermione began as she shifted restlessly against him, "my parents . . ."

"You worry. . . " Draco said, maneuvering Hermione towards her father's desk, "entirely . . ." he went on, laying her down across it, "too much," he finished, slowly slipping the straps of the yellow summer dress she wore down her arms.

"Draco . . ." Hermione sighed, forgetting about where they were, what they were doing, and all of the reasons why they shouldn't be doing it.

"– and so I said to Suzanne 'Well why would you get into her new Jacuzzi if you had just used a frothy cream to treat your yeast infection?' and she says to me – _Dear Lord!"_ Mrs. Granger said, as she and her husband walked in on Hermione and Draco in the library.

Hermione gasped in shock. What had she been thinking? Right. Clearly she had been thinking of nothing but the pleasure at hand.

Draco stood in front of his wife while she pulled herself together and reached around Hermione for a booklet to hold before him in a strategic fashion.

"What were you . . . how can you . . . Hermione this is . . . you two are . . ." Mr. Granger sputtered incoherently, shaking his head and blinking compulsively.

Jillian Granger slapped her husband on the arm and told him to shut up before she had him committed. "They're married Andrew. They can do whatever they want!"

This wasn't embarrassing or anything, Hermione was thinking as she put her head in her hands and stifled a groan.

"Well we'll just be leaving now!" Hermione's mother announced, shoving her husband out the door ahead of her and closing it behind her.

Draco turned to face his wife and smiled a very small smile. "I'm so sorry that happened Hermione. Why don't we continue this upstairs?"

Hermione was silently pulling up the straps of her dress again and she shook her head.

"Why not?" Draco asked her, putting on a charming smile. "We were having so much fun a moment ago."

"Draco, no." Hermione told him plainly. "I have lots of work to do and I'm sure that you have some unfinished business also. We're leaving tomorrow remember?" Instead of allowing him to try and convince her further, Hermione circled the desk and grabbed the things she had been using.

"Can you please pass me that book?" she asked Draco, pointing to the one she had been about to get upon his entrance.

"What will you give me if I do?" he asked her, a gorgeous eyebrow raised.

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "The question should be: what will I give you if you don't?"

Ah . . . he had realized only recently how adorable his wife's fighting spirit was. Suppressing a smile, Draco recalled the only other thing that could colour her cheeks that way and make her eyes that bright. Deftly removing the book from the shelf, he handed it to her, but delayed releasing it into her sole grasp. The dangerous look she was shooting at him, however, did jog his memory back to her threat of a few moments ago and Malfoy chose to surrender the book to her.

Hermione huffed in annoyance and left the room in a rather haughty fashion.

Even when she was mad, Draco noticed, she walked like a goddess. He took the opportunity to admire the sway of her hips.

* * *

Hermione and Draco had finally slipped into their regular routines At least Draco had. After they had left her parents house (with no further humiliating scenes taking place) they had returned to Malfoy Manor and their careers. With school just around the corner, Hermione had thrown herself into lesson planning and had actually come up with more than a few incredible essay topics without the help of her favourite book. Draco, on the other hand, had returned to his office in the Ministry.

Hermione and her husband were actually getting along. Although she often made threats to his life when he ticked her off, the two were actually developing a rather nice friendship. Hermione however, had stalled when it came to any further nocturnal activities with him. He would flirt with her and she would flirt back, but she always ended things before they went too far (a feat that was often very, _very_ difficult). The image of her mother and father gaping at her in shock was etched in her memory, possibly for eternity, as was her current outlook on the subject.

All thoughts of that aside, today, Hermione would be meeting Draco at the Ministry for a lunch date.

"Please tell him that it is his wife," Hermione told her husband's secretary.

Clearly the mousey witch hadn't heard the news of her boss's newfound marital status. Her eyes widened and in them, Hermione recognized the shimmer of delight for fresh gossip that Lavender and Parvati Patel had been famous for in school. "Right away Mrs. Malfoy," the secretary, a Miss Applebee according to her name tag, replied, rushing to Draco's office door. "Sir," she said after knocking on his door and being summoned. "Your wife is here to see you."

"Send her in," Hermione heard him reply.

"You're early," he said when they were alone. "Couldn't stay away could you?"

"Get over yourself Malfoy," Hermione said with a grin. "Where are we going for lunch today?"

"I've ordered a basket from the dining room downstairs. I was thinking a picnic would be perfect. We could eat by the lake in some secluded spot and you could read to me and rub my feet," Draco responded with a smile.

Seeing the look on Hermione's face, Draco went on "If reading me a novel and giving me a massage, doesn't appeal to you, we could always -"

"Not a chance Malfoy," Hermione shot back before he could finish.

"Well we still have to wait a few minutes anyway," Draco informed Hermione. "A new intern has been hired to my department and I always make a point to greet every employee personally on their first day. I'm not sure who it is yet, but we had to replace Mrs. Thorpe now that she has retired."

Hermione was about to reply to this when they heard a scuffle from outside the office door.

"No! Miss please! You can't go in there!" Mrs. Applebee was begging someone. Mr. Malfoy is already -." Her pleading was obviously to no avail as suddenly, the door was thrown open.

A rather stout woman with a pug face and heavy make-up appeared before them. "Dracky-poo!" she called, throwing herself into Draco's arms.

"Pansy!?" Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy cried in disbelief.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, I have begun to introduce some other characters. This is just the beginning dear readers! Ron, Harry, Ginny, and perhaps a few other friends should make their grand entrances soon!

As far as the first scene, and perhaps the second . . . I hope I haven't offended anyone. I tried not to go overboard and hopefully succeeded. I was taking up on my idea to experiment a little and I am not sure how successful the attempt was. I know some people might like it, but it really matters to me that I don't offend people and put them off of my story. If there are a few readers who don't like that kind of thing, please tell me what _really_ bothered you about it and I will try to fine-tune it, but give me another chance before giving up on my story. (I value every reviewer's beliefs but I can't just "take it out" as some people might insist because there are still others who actually asked "when are they going to do it?" therefore, removing all of the fluff is not an option. I can try to tone it down though.)

I know some people might think that it is a little unrealistic to have Draco in a kitchen taking part in meal preparation, but really, don't all Draco lovers have a god-like vision of him? Next to his six-pack and dreamy grin, I would totally be unable to resist him if he could also make me a luscious lasagna. I like food, I like him, and I put them together. He has now increased in his overall level of perfection.

Also the scene in the library might be a topic of discussion. Rather then use the word _disrespectful_, I'll say _overly-enthusiastic_. I wouldn't do something like that in real life (mainly because . . . okay . . . _disrespectful_ as far as my upbringing goes . . . and my mother is not as cool as Mrs. Granger) but they did it for the purpose of adding a scene to the story. That's all.

What does everyone want to see next? I'll try to work your ideas into the plot!

Read and review please, but try not to be too mad at me!!!

CaramelSweetness66


End file.
